


Christmas (House) Shoes

by outsidemynorm15



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/F, Hope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:41:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28280067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outsidemynorm15/pseuds/outsidemynorm15
Summary: Everyone could use a little hope at Christmas.  It's a good thing Waverly has enough to share.
Relationships: Waverly Earp & Nicole Haught, Waverly Earp & Wynonna Earp, Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 4
Kudos: 70





	1. From Under the Tree

Waverly loved Christmas. It wasn’t that her family celebrated the holiday because they didn’t. There were no trees or lights or Christmas cookies or holiday cheer at her house. At least, not since her mother left 4 years ago. Now, there is only gloom and doom and a drunk father with quick temper and quicker fist. Still, there was something about Christmas time that always gave the eight-year-old little girl a feeling of hope. 

Sighing, Waverly moved around the family store with familiar ease. Even at her young age, she was required to spend all are free time working. Her father, Ward, had inherited the store from his father, who had inherited it from his father and so on and so on. Being the only general store in the small town of Purgatory, it was always busy and profitable. 

Thankfully, Ward learned early on during his tenure as owner that if the store wasn’t decked with boughs of holly and Christmas cheer, profits suffered. So, while their home was dreary and dark, the store was bright with Christmas lights and a complete beautiful tree with an angel on top. Waverly would often sneak under the Christmas tree and look through its branches and feel a hope that she never understood until she was much older. Her father called her a daydreamer, but Waverly said she was a hoper, not a dreamer and there wasn’t anything wrong with that. 

Hiding under the tree and doing her normal hoping, Waverly groaned when she heard Ward’s terse tone. She climbed from her favorite spot and went to see who was receiving her father’s fury. She knew it wasn’t Wynonna since she was still at school detention and Ward never spoke to Willa in that tone, so she couldn’t imagine who Ward would be speaking to in that manner. Peaking around the shelf, Waverly watched as the redheaded girl as she pleaded with Ward. 

“Sir. That’s all the money I have.” The redhead begged. “Please. I need to get these for my grandmother. She’s really sick and it’s Christmas and I just...I just want to get her something nice.” 

Waverly stood on her tiptoes to get a better look at the counter and could see the girl was trying to purchase a pair of cheap house shoes. The shoes couldn’t have cost more than $12, but Waverly knew Ward would act like they were worth $100. 

Shoving the money back toward the redhead, Ward growled. “Then you better come back here with another $7.15 or go find something cheaper.” 

“Sir. That’s all my money. I can’t get anymore. Can’t I do some work for you or something. Please.” 

Waverly wasn’t aware that her feet had moved, and she was now standing beside her father. For some reason, she wanted to see the girl’s face. She wanted to see the face of the girl that would beg to work for a cruel man just so she could buy a pair of cheap house shoes. Waverly needed to see the face that belong to the sad voice. The voice that had caused tears to form in her own eyes. 

The girl was young. She couldn’t be more than a couple of years older than Waverly herself. Her hair was unkept and her clothes looked worn, but for Waverly, the girl was pure color in an otherwise black and white world. 

Her red hair reminded Waverly of the color of the strawberries on aisle 12. Her eyes looked like the honey that was on aisle 9. The honey that Uncle Curtis would buy and give to her when she visited and when the girl pursed her lips, deep dimples appeared in each cheek and Waverly immediately thought of the lemon drops on aisle one. She loved those, but vanilla dipped donuts were her favorite and as she leaned toward the red head, she thought the girl smelled the same as her favorite dessert. 

“Why would I want a snot nosed kid to work here when I have my own?” Ward said as he shoved the shoes toward Waverly. “Go put those back on the shelf and you, take your money and leave my store.”

Picking up the money, the redheaded girl turned and walked out of the store. Waverly started moving toward the shelf, but as she as soon as she was out of her father’s sight, she stopped and watched. The girl sat on the corner with her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. Waverly could tell she was crying by the movement of her shoulders. So, once again, Waverly’s feet were taking her places without her brain’s permission and she stepped outside into the cold winter’s air. 

“Here.” Waverly said as she held the shoes in front of the girl. “Take them.”

“What?” The girl asked. “Did your dad change his mind?”

“No. Just take them before he sees me.” Waverly tried again. 

“I can’t take the shoes. Not...not without paying for them.” Nicole held out the money she was clutching in her hand. “Here. I will pay you the $7.15 as soon as I can. I will come back. I promise.” 

Handing over the shoes, Waverly accepted the crinkled money. “I hope your grandmother likes them.”

“She’s in the hospital and really needed some house shoes.” Nicole whispered. “Thank you...oh...what’s your name?”

“Waverly!” Ward yelled from inside the store. “Where are you? You better not be under that damn tree again!”

“Waverly.” The girl breathed out her name like it was sunshine on a summer day. “Thank you, Waverly. You’re an angel.” 

Smiling, Waverly turned to run back inside the store, but stopped as she reached the entrance and look back. “What’s your name?”

“Nicole.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, Nicole.” Waverly grinned and then ran inside. 

As quietly as she could, Waverly slipped Nicole’s money into the cash register. She knew if Ward discovered what she had done, he would spank her, but for some reason she couldn’t help but feel it was worth it. There was something special about Nicole. To Waverly, she felt like Christmas. She felt like hope. 


	2. $7.15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A debt is finally repaid.

“Baby girl.” Wynonna kicked her shoe as she walked by. “Why are you under the tree? You aren’t eight. It’s not cute anymore. It’s just weird.”

“Wy! Leave me alone,” Waverly sighed. “I’m hoping.”

“If you’re still hoping about that redheaded girl, I think we need to get you help or laid.” Wynonna laughed at her own joke. “Let’s go. You can hope on the ride to the store. We’ve got to get to work.”

Moving from under the tree, Waverly huffed. “Who am I supposed to get laid by? Champ?”

“Barf.” Wynonna hacked. “Don’t make me throw up in my mouth. You can do so much better than Champ the Chump. Please tell me you aren’t really thinking about hitting that again?”

“No,” Waverly shoved passed her sister. “Even with the limited dating options in Purgatory, I’m done with Champ. I’d rather hope about a girl I saw one time than date that cheater again.”

“Oooohhhh.” Wynonna smiled. “You never know Baby girl. She could show up one day and pay us the money she owes. I’m still calculating the interests.” 

Laughing, Waverly reached for her coat and started to pull it on. “Well, if Ward were alive, he would probably still want to have her arrested. At least you only want to charge 17 years of interest.”

“Well, that’s the difference between me being the owner and daddy being the owner. He was just an asshole, but I’m a smart asshole.” Wynonna shrugged. She can’t pay me back if she’s sitting in jail.”

When Ward discovered that Waverly had taken the money and gave Nicole the shoes, he gave her the worse spanking of her life. Wynonna had found her hidden under the tree and held her as she cried and told the story about the redhead girl. Wynonna had wiped away her tears and told her that she had done the right thing and that maybe she would see the redhead again. Waverly had hoped her sister was right. She hoped she would see strawberry red hair, honey brown eyes and lemon dropped dimples again. 

Waverly had thought a lot about the magical girl over the years. In the beginning, she wondered if Nicole’s grandmother liked the shoes or if the shoes were even the right size. When Waverly was ten and Ward drove off the side of the road drunk and died as a result, she wondered if maybe Nicole would hear about it and come back now that the mean man was gone. It was her biggest hope on Christmas Day that year, but it didn’t happen.

When Waverly turned sixteen, Willa left with some random guy name Bobo and Wynonna took over running the store. The high schooler would work after cheer practice and on Saturdays when she didn’t have a game. With Wynonna in charge, Waverly found that being at the store was much more like being with family than actually working. She would walk through the aisles and see all the things that reminded her of the girl she knew was somewhere in the world. 

Waverly thought about Nicole the most when Champ would cheat on her and tell her that nobody wanted to date an Earp. She wondered if Nicole would do and feel the same and she hoped that she wouldn’t. She always hoped. 

As soon as Waverly graduated high school, Wynonna shipped her off to college and told her to use that big brain of hers for something more than hoping. And she did. She learned Latin and literature and saw the ocean and jumped out of a plane and she loved every moment of it. But still, during the quiet and lonely nights, Waverly thought about hair the color of strawberries and honey brown eyes and she hoped. 

“Did you hear Nedley finally hired another deputy?” Wynonna said interrupting Waverly’s thoughts. 

“I think I heard something about it.” Waverly replied. “I’m sure it’s another guy with an ego the size of Texas and lame pickup lines.”

“You’re probably right.” Looking over at her sister, Wynonna smirked. “As long as they think my ass is top-shelf, they’ll be alright by me.”

“Ugh.” Waverly groaned. “You’re ridiculous. I’m going to work on the soda machine. You know it needs replacing, right?”

Ignoring her sister, Wynonna moved toward the office. The store was busy with the holiday season upon them and there were orders to make and inventory to check. Wynonna had been a perfect replacement for their father. Waverly, on the other hand, had found her calling in the classroom. 

After she returned home from college, Waverly was offered a job at the local university and it was perfect for her. The favorite class she taught was ancient languages. She loved the history that was mixed with each foreign word. She taught with enthusiasm always hoping that students that were required to take her classes learned to appreciate the words as much as she did. As a result, she was loved by her student and respected by her peers. And while she loved teaching, Waverly still enjoyed helping at the store during her holiday breaks. She would ride to work with Wynonna and sing along with the radio at an annoying volume until her sister would say she was going to fire her. The time with Wynonna was special and even the time in the store felt like home. In the less busy moments, she would wonder around the building looking at all the colors and most nights before locking up, she would lay under the Christmas tree and hope. 

It was late Christmas Eve and Waverly was in her usual position waiting for Wynonna to finish tallying the day’s receipts. Hearing the store doorbell, she crawled out from under the tree and went to see who would need anything at this late of an hour. When she reached the front is the store, there was no one there. 

“Hello?” Waverly called out into the void. Shaking her head, she took a step toward the door to lockup, but stopped dead in her tracks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the green and silver laying near the cashier register. She didn’t have to count it to know it was exactly $7.15. 


	3. Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Sophie.

“Wynonna?” Waverly was leaning against the kitchen counter watching her sister pour a glass of whiskey. “Do you think she’s still in town?” 

After finding the money, Waverly had run outside in search of red hair, but had found none. She had collected the $7.15 and hid it away inside her purse. She had zero intentions of letting Wynonna even think about keeping it. That money and the person associated with it, meant something to her. She didn’t hope that one, she knew it. 

“Waves,” Wynonna groaned and rubbed her face. “If you ask me that one more time, I’m going to...”

“Ok ok!” Waverly moved out of her sister’s reach. “I won’t ask again, but it had to be her, right? You agree that it had to be her?”

“Waverly.” Wynonna downed her whiskey, sat her glass down and placed both hands on her sister’s shoulders before she finished her thought. “It’s Christmas Day. Can you forget about the girl for one day and let us enjoy the present? I understand it was a moment for you, but it happened 17 years ago. Do I think she’s still in town? I don’t know but I do think it’s time to move on.”

Taking a step back so her sister’s hands would drop from her should, Waverly nodded her head. For the first time in 17 years, she felt a little hopeless. Wynonna was right. She was being crazy. Even if it was Nicole that left the money, it didn’t mean anything. The girl could be married to a smart lady doctor or she could be a serial killer. She might not even believe in Christmas magic. “Yeah sure. I’m sorry. I know you’re right.”

“Babygirl...”

“No.” Waverly shook her head again. “Just forget it. It’s ok. I’m going to set the table. Let’s do a headcount. Ok, so there’s me and you, Robin and Jeremy, Doc and Dolls, and with Nedley and Chrissy that a total of 8 place settings.”

“Make it 9.” Picking up her whiskey glass, Wynonna poured herself another glass. “I told Nedley that he could bring his new deputy. Her last name is Haught. Can you believe that? I’m going to have so much fun with the puns.”

Rolling her eyes, Waverly took the glass out of her sister’s grasp. “I think you’ve had enough of that for now and don’t be mean to the new girl. Maybe she’ll be the one that finally makes me give up on my Nicole hopes.”

“Waves...” 

Interrupted by the knock on the door, Wynonna gave her sister a sad little smile. “I’ll get it.” 

Waverly finished setting the table as the guest arrived. She could hear the commotion and her sister’s inappropriate comments as she greeted them. Sighing, Waverly leaned against the chair. She knew Wynonna was right about Nicole. For seventeen years, she had held on to the silly notion that Nicole was supposed to mean something to her, but it was time to give up on her childhood fantasy. She knew it was time to stop hoping. 

“Baby girl!” Wynonna yelled. “Get in here and meet Haught Potato!”

Hearing the groan and mumbled reply, Waverly chuckled. “Coming!”

“Waves!” Robin grabbed her as she as she walked in the room and spun her around. “Merry Christmas!” 

“Merry Christmas!” 

“Waves!” Grabbing her hand, Chrissy drug Waverly to the kitchen. “I need a drink.”

“What’s wrong?” Waverly gasped. “Do you not like the new girl?”

“Haught?” Chrissy shook her head. “No. She’s actually amazing. I just thought Perry was going to finally propose, but instead, all he gave me was this lame diamond tennis bracelet.”

“Chrissy!” Waverly squealed. “It’s beautiful. And Christmas isn’t over! There’s still magic left in the day. You never know. A miracle still may happen.”

Running her fingers over the diamonds, Chrissy grinned. “Is that some of your hoping voodoo?” 

“I’m just saying, stranger things could happen. Besides, Perry loves you and he’ll get around to asking you, even if it isn’t today.”

“I know you’re right.” Chrissy groaned. “I’m being a baby. Let’s go eat.”

“Baby girl! Get your skinny vegan butt in here and bring Baby Nedley too.” 

The two friends were giggling as they returned to the dining room. Waverly didn’t even look around the room as she slid into her assigned seat. Her head only turned when she heard her name. 

“Waverly.” Nedley cleared his throat. “This is my new deputy...”

“Nicole.” Waverly breathed out the name like it was rain on the desert sands. 

While Waverly stared at the girl across the table, the rest of room erupted in choruses of “Nicole?” and “The Nicole?”

“I’ve been meaning to introduce myself or I guess reintroduce myself.” Nicole stood and held out her hand. “Nicole. Nicole Haught.” 

Grabbing Nicole’s hand, Waverly pulled her around the table and into a tight hug. 

“I’ve been hoping for you.” Waverly whispered so that only Nicole could hear her. 

“I’m sorry it took me so long.” 

When Waverly moved out of Nicole’s arms, she noticed all eyes were on the pair as they still held on to each other.

“This is the Nicole?” Wynonna asked. “Nicole with strawberry hair and honey eyes?”

Nicole smiled and her deep dimples appeared. 

“Nicole with lemon drop dimples?” Everyone at the table chimed in…even Nedley. 

“Lemon drop dimples?” Nicole asked as she tilted her head. “What does that even mean?”

Blushing, Waverly shrugged. “That’s what eight-year-old Waverly thought about them.” Lowering her voice before she continued. “Twenty-five-year-old Waverly has way more adult thoughts about them.”

“Oh yeah?” Nicole smiled. “I think I’m going to need to hear about those thoughts.”

“Oh geez.” Wynonna groaned. “You’ve known each other for five seconds and you’re already making The Notebook look bleak. Sit. Eat. You can make out later.”

“Wynonna!” Waverly fussed, but dropped Nicole’s hands and moved back to her chair as Nicole did the same. 

When dinner was over and everyone had left, Waverly pulled Nicole down to the floor and looked up at the Christmas lights.

“What are we doing on the floor?” 

“We’re looking at the light and getting to know each other.” Waverly paused. “So, Nicole, tell me about yourself.”

Laughing, Nicole reached over and took Waverly’s hand. She laced their fingers together and hummed. “I’ve thought about you so many times over the years. I knew you were special the moment I saw you. I knew you risked so much to help me. When I was offered the job in Purgatory, it felt like my destiny. It was like something...someone was always drawing me back here.”

Waverly moved closer and laid her head in Nicole’s shoulder. “I thought about you too. Did your grandmother like the shoes?”

“Well, why don’t you go out with me next weekend and you can ask her yourself?” Nicole grinned. “I think she actually still has them.”

Pulling away, Waverly looked into honey brown eyes. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Yes.” Nicole replied with a shy smile. “Waverly Earp, will you like to go on a date with me?”

Laying her head back on Nicole’s shoulder, Waverly had so many questions, but none more important than the one she asked next. “Nicole, do you believe in Christmas magic?”

Kissing the top of Waverly’s head, Nicole whispered. “It’s kind of hard not to believe, right?”

Waverly had hoped for this so many times over the years but looking up through the Christmas tree with her hand in Nicole’s, she knew this moment was far beyond her hopes and dreams. She absolutely knew Christmas magic was real. 

“Yes.” Waverly answered softly. “I would love to go on a date with you.”

Moving so that she was leaning over Nicole, Waverly traced a perfect dimple with her finger and then ran her hand through red locs. “Da mihi osculum?”

"I don't know what that means, but it sure does sound sexy when you say it."

Leaning down, Waverly captured sweet lips in a tender kiss. 

“Merry Christmas, Nicole. Nicole with strawberry red hair, honey brown eyes and lemon drop dimples. My Christmas Magic.” 

“Merry Christmas, Waverly. My Christmas Angel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived magically ever after. Forever.


End file.
